The town of Hamden is home to many restaurants, whether it is a large establishment like Eli’s on Whitney or a startup like Sweet Tooth Skewers, there is always room for small places to grab a bite and Grab and Go Empanadas on Wheeler St. is no exception.
Grab and Go Empanadas opened in August 2018 said owners Claudio Quito and his wife Diana.
Business owners credit different factors for what makes their business successful. The Quintos emphasize that the family-run aspect of their restaurant is what helps them succeed.
“It’s a family business, we all work as family,” Claudio Quito said. “We put the best we have into our industry.”
Another aspect that Quito believes has led to the success of the business so far has been overcoming what his business and many others had to face, the COVID-19 pandemic. While Quito admitted it was hard to get through it, he attributes the business’ survival to perseverance, hard work and determination.
“You open the business, you have to keep the business,” Quito said. “So, in order to keep it going you have to do the best you can. A lot of work.”
Despite this adversity, the ship continued to sail and Quito said business at Grab and Go Empanadas has been going well.
“Business has been stable, we have our customers, customers are happy,” Quito said. “We do the same thing every day, make people happy with our product.”
These are not just empty words from Quito. The customers who have passed through the empanada shop seem to be in agreement as well. The business has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Yelp. Regular customers seem to attribute the success to the food and atmosphere of the business.
“I always come to get the cheese empanadas,” Hamden local Tanya Chapman said. “They’re always nice and hot and fresh.”
Another Hamden resident Rebecca LeQuire added,“They have tons of people here. They’ll be playing music, it’s pretty packed (in the summertime).”
Earning customer trust is something any business aims to achieve. Hector Velazquez Jr., who does marketing and graphic design for Grab and Go Empanadas, said it is a two-pronged formula of creativity for food and hospitality.
“I think the best thing about the business is their hospitality, they really accommodate to what you want,” Velazquez Jr. said.
He noted the creativity of the empanadas.
“They have great flavor, and it’s a different diverse of foods in the empanadas which give them the upper hand in what they’re selling.” Velazquez Jr. said.
The menu has a variety of options, even including breakfast and lunch meals. However, Grab and Go Empanada’s best seller remains to be its empanadas. They have a wide variety to choose from: beef, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables.
Out of all the empanadas on the menu, Velazquez Jr. suggested the most popular empanadas are the Philly beef and cheese, sweet cheese empanadas and shrimp and crab empanadas.
“These are just different empanadas,” Velazquez Jr. said. “It’s not just your normal ones like guava and cheese and stuff like that.”
One thing Grab and Go Empanadas is trying to do is expand their internet and social media presence. Velazquez Jr helped them build their website showcasing their menu and order options. They have also made a Facebook and Instagram page, where they showcase their various food options and more ways the company serves, such as catering and delivery.